Harry Maguire

Maguire gives his take on two United records

Saturday 08 May 2021 08:00

Harry Maguire admits he will be disappointed if fixture congestion cost him his long-standing Premier League playing record.

The Manchester United captain was speaking ahead of the Reds’ triple-header of matches in just five days, starting with Aston Villa on Sunday, before we lock horns with Leicester City and Liverpool next week.

Since joining United in the summer of 2019, Maguire has not missed a single league minute for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side - a record he is very proud of.

In fact, should Harry play the full 90 at Villa Park, that will be 72 consecutive Premier League matches without missing a minute for the Reds, beating Gary Pallister’s record of 71 back-to-back full matches in the division.

However, with such a busy schedule, Harry conceded he might have to sit out at least one game in the next week.
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“It’s going to be very tough. I don’t think it’s ever been done in Premier League history. I don’t know why it’s been done,” a clearly frustrated Maguire told club media. 

“Three games in five days is just ridiculous. It’s tough when you have two games in three days over the Christmas period, as happens sometimes. You have to play, then rest, then play again. That’s tough, but to have three in five… I don’t know where that’s come from; I don’t know why they’ve decided on that. 

“We have to deal with it; we’ll probably rotate and we have to make sure that we’re fresh in our minds to go and win football matches and that’s what we aim to do.”
“It’s a proud record of mine and to be dealt that from our fixtures and our schedule is a tough one to take if it does come to that, that I do need a rest in one of the games,” the England international continued. 

“To be available for selection, and the manager to show the faith in me to play me in every Premier League game since I’ve signed, is a proud achievement. But for sure, it’s going to be tough to play three games in five days.”

That’s not the only record Harry is hoping to maintain at Villa Park this weekend. The Reds have not lost an away league game this season and with just two matches left on the road in 2020/21 - Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers - Maguire is hoping we can go a full campaign without losing on our travels, something which has only been done twice before in Premier League history.
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However, as always with our ambitious centre-back, Harry is setting even more challenges for his United team-mates.

“The motivation should now be: let’s go all [this] season unbeaten,” he opined. “We don’t want to lose another game; we’ve got to take each game as it comes but we have to respect each opponent. 

“But yeah, let’s set a challenge of going unbeaten all season, from now until the end of the season, and see where it takes us.

“It’s important that we go in the Premier League and try and maintain that record because it’s a proud record to have. Our home form has picked up a little bit of late so that’s important too.”

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